Roughing the kicker....

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

If "places a ball for a kick" implicitly includes having a teammate in a kicking position, why would the rule specifically require a teammate in a kicking position and placing the ball for a kick?

That's a good point, as it wasn't always part of the rules provision, and did use to be implicit. All I know is, if Fed thought they'd clarified this with their current wording, they're wrong. But I had missed that apparently there's now no exception for a ball received from other than either a snap or muffed ball from a snap, which would preclude the scenario brought up here from the video a while ago, i.e. the possibility of a 2nd place kick from a blocked kick -- unless the placer squats instead of kneeling.

I can think of one play situation where the 2 interpret'ns would make a practical difference. What happens when a fake place kick play involves the kicker's closely missing the ball and faking a follow-thru, and then after a delay during which the placer has gotten his body position around to better conceal the ball (and the defense is all looking downfield to try to find it), he arises to continue play? One interpret'n would allow play to continue, the other not.

Also, assuming play is allowed to continue, would the placer be allowed to draw the ball closer to his body to conceal it while he's still on the ground? How about drumming on the ball to simulate the sound of the kicker's foot hitting it?